1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a tape loading device and a recording and/or reproducing apparatus, and particularly to a tape loading device for wrapping a magnetic tape around the circumferential surface of a rotary drum over a predetermined angle in a helical scanning type magnetic recording and/or reproducing apparatus using the magnetic tape as a recording medium, and an apparatus for recording and/or reproducing information on the tape wrapped around the rotary drum.
2. Description of the Related Art
A helical scanning type magnetic recording and/or reproducing apparatus such as a video tape recorder (VTR) or a digital audio tape recorder (DAT) is provided with a tape loading device for drawing a magnetic tape out of a tape cassette and wrapping the magnetic tape around the circumferential surface of a rotary drum over a predetermined angle in mounting the tape cassette.
In such a conventional tape loading device, since the device is large, the rotary drum is inclined, and guide posts are horizontally moved for obliquely wrapping the tape around the rotary drum. This simplifies the tape path, and decreases the number and inclination of the guide posts.
However, since the tape path is complicated, and the tape is thinned with recent miniaturization of the tape loading device, for example, thinning of the device, the inclination of the rotary drum is decreased, and the guide posts are obliquely moved for wrapping the tape. This causes the problem of damaging the tape and other problems.
In the conventional structure, since the guide posts are moved in parallel with the mounting reference surface (i.e., the chassis surface) of the tape loading device, the contact surface of a positioning member for positioning of a slider at the completion of loading is at right angles to the chassis surface.
However, in the recent thin structure in which the inclination of the rotary drum is decreased, and the guide posts are obliquely moved relative to the chassis surface, the contact surface of the positioning member for positioning of the slider of the guide post is at right angles to the surface of movement of the slider. When the positioning member is produced by molding a plastic material, a slide mechanism must thus be provided on a mold in order to release the product from the mold because a portion inclined with respect to the chassis surface cannot be released from the mold by simply dividing the mold into upper and lower parts. When the positioning member is produced by cutting, a tool for the inclined surface is required. The processability thus significantly deteriorates.